Published: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 3:51 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 5, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

PALM COAST — Nathaniel D. Juratovac's handling of weapons has gotten him into hot water in the past.

He's faced criminal accusations before, but each time he came out mostly unscathed.

The latest criminal charge — attempted murder — could wind up being the hardest to overcome.

The former Flagler Beach police officer was arrested following a March 29 shooting in the area of St. Augustine Shores. The man injured and hospitalized in the shooting was Flagler County firefighter Jared Parkey. Authorities said Juratovac shot Parkey during a road-rage incident.

Juratovac was denied bail during his first court appearance last week, according to reports. No new hearing dates have been scheduled for him in St. Johns County. He remains locked up in the Clay County Jail without bail.

It is the latest in a series of criminal charges that have been filed against the 40-year-old Juratovac in the past 21 years. Records show he also was arrested in 1996 on charges of aggravated assault, improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon and trespassing.

Those charges were dropped and subsequently removed from the public record, according to court documents.

Details of the original allegations against him are not part of the public record but based on the order to expunge, which was approved in July 2003, charges were dismissed "on the basis that there were legitimate issues of self-defense and defense of others present."

Because of those circumstances, "prosecution was not warranted," according to court filings.

Juratovac was 23 years old and about to embark on a career in law enforcement when he was arrested on those charges. By the time the allegations were expunged, he was 30 years old and working as a Flagler Beach police officer.

The other incident in his criminal history included a 1992 arrest and conviction for misdemeanor marijuana possession, but for the most part he maintained a record that was clear of any significant pitfalls up to that point.

That would change during his stint in Flagler Beach.

Juratovac resigned under pressure from the Police Department in June 2008. He had been tried a month earlier on charges of perjury and falsifying documents in relation to the arrest of Lisa Tanner, daughter of former State Attorney John Tanner. But a judge threw out the charges because of inconsistent and unreliable testimony from one of the state's key witnesses.

'NOT A NORMAL CASE'

On March 30, Juratovac was arrested on a count of attempted murder. Because his wife is a corporal with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, he was transferred to the Clay County facility where he's listed as a "courtesy hold," authorities said.

Juratovac is accused of shooting the 30-year-old Parkey twice in the upper body along U.S. 1 near Wildwood Drive.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, both men were driving north on U.S. 1 in their SUVs shortly before 8 p.m. March 29 and were accompanied by their wives. Both of them also had a young child in their vehicles. Juratovac's daughter, who is 4, and Parkey's daughter, who is 1, were riding in the back seats.

Among those who called 9-1-1 that night was Juratovac's wife. She told the operator shots had been fired and the gun had been secured.

Robin Juratovac, a veteran road patrol deputy, also asked for a supervisor to take her call.

The supervisor got on the line and asked whether the wounded man was conscious and breathing.

"I can't tell," she said. "I'm trying to control my husband."

Nathaniel Juratovac "brake checked" Parkey because he felt Parkey was following him too closely in the northbound lane, deputies said.

Parkey retaliated by throwing a water bottle at Juratovac's vehicle, according to reports.

The two vehicles bumped and Parkey said Juratovac forced him off the road. Both men got out of their SUVs along U.S. 1 South and Juratovac fired two rounds into Parkey, who was unarmed, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Parkey was airlifted to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center where he was treated and released early March 30.

Detectives are reviewing all of the allegations from that night, including throwing an object at an occupied vehicle and driving aggressively and dangerously with children in both vehicles, said Commander Chuck Mulligan, a Sheriff's Office spokesman.

"The investigation is still under way," he said. "Obviously, this case is not a normal case."

Mulligan said there is no evidence the two men knew each other before the evening of March 29.

'A LOT OF TURMOIL'

According to Parkey's personnel file, Flagler County hired him as a firefighter-EMT in April 2009.

He is an avid weightlifter who stated in his job application that he swims, on average, about 30 minutes a day.

In his latest job performance evaluation, his supervisor stated he exceeded expectations and commended him for a positive attitude and attention to safety.

Juratovac worked as a public safety officer with the Village of Palm Springs from February 1997 until October 2002, according to his personnel file. He was hired by the Flagler Beach Police Department in 2003 based on his performance in Palm Springs. His time in Flagler Beach was bumpier by comparison.

"He was all right," Flagler Beach Police Chief Dan Cody said of Juratovac's five-year career at his agency. "He was big into (investigating) narcotics and did a pretty good job with that."

On May 30, 2008, weeks after Juratovac had his perjury charge dropped by a trial judge, Cody sent a memo to then-City Manager Bernie Murphy requesting that Juratovac be fired.

In a letter dated June 12, 2008, Murphy declined to follow through with the chief's recommendation.

Cody said he could not remember why he recommended that Juratovac be fired.

"There was so much going on at that time," Cody said. "I just remember there was a lot of turmoil."

Most of Juratovac's problems in Flagler Beach centered on two arrests he had made in 2005. Both cases involved the same suspect, Lisa Tanner. Following her first arrest in the spring of that year, he took her to jail and watched over her for three hours while she sat in her cell, according to reports.

Tanner was placed in a restraint chair, which led to a federal lawsuit and an investigation into how Flagler County corrections deputies restrained their inmates.

In November 2005, Juratovac arrested Lisa Tanner again at her home and charged her with disorderly conduct. In relation to that arrest, Juratovac was accused of committing perjury and falsifying documents.

The charges were filed against him after the Flagler Beach Police Department hired a South Florida private investigator to check into Juratovac's conduct. The investigator determined Juratovac had behaved dishonestly in connection with the Tanner case.

Juratovac went to trial in May 2008, but the judge eventually dismissed the charges. It was soon after that when Cody suggested Juratovac be fired.

The day after Murphy announced he would not fire Juratovac, the embattled police officer submitted his letter of resignation.

"It is with mixed emotions that I tender my resignation," Juratovac wrote. "Working with the police department has been a very fulfilling opportunity, but personal and family issues necessitate my resignation."

Before being hired in Flagler Beach and while a public safety officer in the Village of Palm Springs, Juratovac was involved in a shooting while in the line of duty.

That shooting took place Aug. 2, 2000. One of the suspects had pointed a revolver and fired at Juratovac, who returned fire. He chased both of the men down the block and opened fire on them a second time after the armed suspect pointed his gun again at Juratovac. The bullets missed their targets and both suspects got away, according to an agency report.

By Aug. 9, 2000, Juratovac was cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to full-duty status. He resigned two months later.

<p>PALM COAST &mdash; Nathaniel D. Juratovac's handling of weapons has gotten him into hot water in the past. </p><p>He's faced criminal accusations before, but each time he came out mostly unscathed. </p><p>The latest criminal charge &mdash; attempted murder &mdash; could wind up being the hardest to overcome. </p><p>The former Flagler Beach police officer was arrested following a March 29 shooting in the area of St. Augustine Shores. The man injured and hospitalized in the shooting was Flagler County firefighter Jared Parkey. Authorities said Juratovac shot Parkey during a road-rage incident. </p><p>Juratovac was denied bail during his first court appearance last week, according to reports. No new hearing dates have been scheduled for him in St. Johns County. He remains locked up in the Clay County Jail without bail. </p><p>"He's doing well," said Juratovac's father, Frank Juratovac. "He's coping with what's going on." </p><p>It is the latest in a series of criminal charges that have been filed against the 40-year-old Juratovac in the past 21 years. Records show he also was arrested in 1996 on charges of aggravated assault, improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon and trespassing. </p><p>Those charges were dropped and subsequently removed from the public record, according to court documents. </p><p>Details of the original allegations against him are not part of the public record but based on the order to expunge, which was approved in July 2003, charges were dismissed "on the basis that there were legitimate issues of self-defense and defense of others present." </p><p>Because of those circumstances, "prosecution was not warranted," according to court filings. </p><p>Juratovac was 23 years old and about to embark on a career in law enforcement when he was arrested on those charges. By the time the allegations were expunged, he was 30 years old and working as a Flagler Beach police officer. </p><p>The other incident in his criminal history included a 1992 arrest and conviction for misdemeanor marijuana possession, but for the most part he maintained a record that was clear of any significant pitfalls up to that point. </p><p>That would change during his stint in Flagler Beach. </p><p>Juratovac resigned under pressure from the Police Department in June 2008. He had been tried a month earlier on charges of perjury and falsifying documents in relation to the arrest of Lisa Tanner, daughter of former State Attorney John Tanner. But a judge threw out the charges because of inconsistent and unreliable testimony from one of the state's key witnesses.</p><p></p><p>'NOT A NORMAL CASE' </p><p> </p><p></p><p>On March 30, Juratovac was arrested on a count of attempted murder. Because his wife is a corporal with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, he was transferred to the Clay County facility where he's listed as a "courtesy hold," authorities said. </p><p>Juratovac is accused of shooting the 30-year-old Parkey twice in the upper body along U.S. 1 near Wildwood Drive. </p><p>According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, both men were driving north on U.S. 1 in their SUVs shortly before 8 p.m. March 29 and were accompanied by their wives. Both of them also had a young child in their vehicles. Juratovac's daughter, who is 4, and Parkey's daughter, who is 1, were riding in the back seats. </p><p>Among those who called 9-1-1 that night was Juratovac's wife. She told the operator shots had been fired and the gun had been secured. </p><p>Robin Juratovac, a veteran road patrol deputy, also asked for a supervisor to take her call. </p><p>The supervisor got on the line and asked whether the wounded man was conscious and breathing. </p><p>"I can't tell," she said. "I'm trying to control my husband." </p><p>Nathaniel Juratovac "brake checked" Parkey because he felt Parkey was following him too closely in the northbound lane, deputies said. </p><p>Parkey retaliated by throwing a water bottle at Juratovac's vehicle, according to reports. </p><p>The two vehicles bumped and Parkey said Juratovac forced him off the road. Both men got out of their SUVs along U.S. 1 South and Juratovac fired two rounds into Parkey, who was unarmed, according to the Sheriff's Office. </p><p>Parkey was airlifted to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center where he was treated and released early March 30. </p><p>Detectives are reviewing all of the allegations from that night, including throwing an object at an occupied vehicle and driving aggressively and dangerously with children in both vehicles, said Commander Chuck Mulligan, a Sheriff's Office spokesman. </p><p>"The investigation is still under way," he said. "Obviously, this case is not a normal case." </p><p>Mulligan said there is no evidence the two men knew each other before the evening of March 29. </p><p></p><p>'A LOT OF TURMOIL' </p><p> </p><p></p><p>According to Parkey's personnel file, Flagler County hired him as a firefighter-EMT in April 2009. </p><p>He is an avid weightlifter who stated in his job application that he swims, on average, about 30 minutes a day. </p><p>In his latest job performance evaluation, his supervisor stated he exceeded expectations and commended him for a positive attitude and attention to safety. </p><p>Juratovac worked as a public safety officer with the Village of Palm Springs from February 1997 until October 2002, according to his personnel file. He was hired by the Flagler Beach Police Department in 2003 based on his performance in Palm Springs. His time in Flagler Beach was bumpier by comparison. </p><p>"He was all right," Flagler Beach Police Chief Dan Cody said of Juratovac's five-year career at his agency. "He was big into (investigating) narcotics and did a pretty good job with that." </p><p>On May 30, 2008, weeks after Juratovac had his perjury charge dropped by a trial judge, Cody sent a memo to then-City Manager Bernie Murphy requesting that Juratovac be fired. </p><p>In a letter dated June 12, 2008, Murphy declined to follow through with the chief's recommendation. </p><p>Cody said he could not remember why he recommended that Juratovac be fired. </p><p>"There was so much going on at that time," Cody said. "I just remember there was a lot of turmoil." </p><p>Most of Juratovac's problems in Flagler Beach centered on two arrests he had made in 2005. Both cases involved the same suspect, Lisa Tanner. Following her first arrest in the spring of that year, he took her to jail and watched over her for three hours while she sat in her cell, according to reports.</p><p>Tanner was placed in a restraint chair, which led to a federal lawsuit and an investigation into how Flagler County corrections deputies restrained their inmates. </p><p>In November 2005, Juratovac arrested Lisa Tanner again at her home and charged her with disorderly conduct. In relation to that arrest, Juratovac was accused of committing perjury and falsifying documents. </p><p>The charges were filed against him after the Flagler Beach Police Department hired a South Florida private investigator to check into Juratovac's conduct. The investigator determined Juratovac had behaved dishonestly in connection with the Tanner case. </p><p>Juratovac went to trial in May 2008, but the judge eventually dismissed the charges. It was soon after that when Cody suggested Juratovac be fired. </p><p>The day after Murphy announced he would not fire Juratovac, the embattled police officer submitted his letter of resignation. </p><p>"It is with mixed emotions that I tender my resignation," Juratovac wrote. "Working with the police department has been a very fulfilling opportunity, but personal and family issues necessitate my resignation." </p><p>Before being hired in Flagler Beach and while a public safety officer in the Village of Palm Springs, Juratovac was involved in a shooting while in the line of duty. </p><p>That shooting took place Aug. 2, 2000. One of the suspects had pointed a revolver and fired at Juratovac, who returned fire. He chased both of the men down the block and opened fire on them a second time after the armed suspect pointed his gun again at Juratovac. The bullets missed their targets and both suspects got away, according to an agency report. </p><p>By Aug. 9, 2000, Juratovac was cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to full-duty status. He resigned two months later.</p>